408 Quotes by Anthony Hopkins

I believe I am quite amiable and affable and quite fair, and I've rarely worked with people who are the opposite. Moodiness scares me. What gets to me is unkindness. Madness. Unwarranted cruelty through words. People who scream and shout at work. I hate confrontation and violence. I've done it in the past and I don't want to do it again. I guess I want a perfect world.

You relax within the verse. You realize the structure of the verse and relax into it. It's like swimming. Or riding a bike. You can't make it sound real if you are thinking it through as you go. You can't think through Shakespeare, you have to speak it. And listen to the rhythm of it and then it takes you over. And to make it sound real you speak as if you believe it. Don't act it. Just be it.

Relish everything that's inside of you, the imperfections, the darkness, the richness and light and everything. And that makes for a full life.

On his Hannibal Lector mask: I've got it at home. I wear it to bed every night.

Getting old ain't for the faint of heart.

That's what happens if you don't address the darkness in you. You become repressed and depressed and suicidal.

I don't believe in nepotism. I don't much like the idea of parents who interfere.

I don't know what acting is, but I enjoy it. I think we ask too many questions of ourselves. We make too much importance of stuff. But I do say to actors when I have taught in classes, or when I sometimes do a talk to a group. I'll say, "If I never acted again, the world wouldn't stop, nor would it stop if I didn't stop acting. That's how important it is. I know it [seems] important when you're young. But I say, "Lighten up. Don't take it all so seriously." All the gurus and teachers will take your money and run.

I would like to go back to Wales. I'm obsessed with my childhood and at least three times a week dream I am back there.